Combined connecting plug and fuse



Oct. 19, 1948. s J, R|CHTER 2,451,774

COMBINED CONNECTING PLUG AND FUSE Original Filed NO v. 2, 1940 INVENTOR .SAMUEL J. @IC/476A? Patented Oct. 19, 1948 `2,451,7'74 `COMBINED CONNECTING PLUG AND FUSE Samuel J.. Richter, NewYork, N. Y.

substituted for application Serial No. 364,089, November 2, 1940. This application September 24, 1946, Serial No. 698,903

5 Claims. (Cl. 20G-115.5)

The present invention relates to a plug, and, more particularly, to a connecting plug having fuse means integrally associated therewith and this application constitutes a substitute for my any non-conductive material customarily used for devices of like character. The interior of the housing I may be provided with a pair of preferably oppositely disposed protrusions, forming abandoned application Serial No. 364,089, led 5 shoulders II. A screw seat I2 is formed in each November 2, 1940. of the shoulders II, and a slot I3 is formed It is an object of the present invention to prothrough the bottom of the housing l0, alongside vide a combined plug and fuse of the character each of the shoulders I I, to receive a prong I 4, described which will localize any short circuit in which has an oiset portion I5, adapted to rest on the part of the circuit connected by such plug l0 the surface of the adjacent shoulder I I, and havand will prevent damage to or interference with ing an aperture I6, which is in register with the any other parts of the circuit. seat I2.

It is also an object of `this invention to provide Another screw seat I'I is formed, preferably a combined plug and fuse of the character decentrally, in the bottom Wall I8 of the housing, scribed having multiple fuse elements which may in which may be arranged a binding post I9, be easily successively arranged in circuit, whereby which may be provided with a flange 28, above the device may be continuously used, without reits threaded end, to overlie the edges of the recess placement, even after repeated short circuits. I1, and which is further provided with a threaded It is another object of the present invention recess 2| on its free end. to provide a combined plug and fuse of the char- An insulating wall or partition 23, preferably acter described wherein the multiple fuse porintegral with the housing, may be arranged betiOn is separable frOm the remainder 0f the plug tween one of the prong slots I3, and the recess and may, therefore, be readily replaced when all I'I, and a pair of apertures, 24 and 25, respectively, 0f its multiple fuse elements are used up, at very may be formed in the side wall of the housing lo, little cost. through which individual lead wires of an elec- It is a further object of the present invention trioal cable 2s may be introduced into the housto provide a combined plug and fuse of the ing I0, one into each ofthe compartments formed Character desCrbed Which iS Of highly slmpled, by the wall 23. One of the lead wires is secured, economical and compact construction and, therein the conventional manner, between the flange fore, practical for use whenever the use of a con- 20 0f the binding post I9 and the bottom wall I8 IleCtng plug is Called fOr. of the housing I0. The second lead Wire is con- It is a still further object of the present invenventionally connected to the prong I4, on the tion t0 prOVde a Combined plug and multiple fuse other side of the partition 23, by means of a Which is easy t0 uSe and S 0f maXmllm Safety screw 28, which is set into the seat I2. against hazards Of shOCk and ShOrt Circuit and Electric contact between the binding post I9 which possesses many Other adVahtages and and the second of the prongs I4, is provided superiorities, which Will become more readily through a Cover, generally designated as 29, arapparent to those skilled in the art from the emranged over the opening of the housing I 0. Cover bodiment thereof which is illustrated in the ac- 29 may comprise an outer insulating shell 3U, Companyhg drawings in Which: which may, if desired, have a transparent center Fis. 1 is a top plan View of one embodiment portion 31, which may consist of mice or other 0f a Combined plug and multiple fuse 0f the pressimilar, suitable, transparent, non-conductive ent invention, shown with a transparent cover; material, The Snell 30 is preferably provided Fig. 2 is a sectional View, partly in elevation, of with depending flange 32, forming a shallow, the Same; tray-like, outer cover member, in which is ar- Fig. 3 is a Plan VeW 0f the Seme, Wth the fuse ranged a layer or sheet of fusible material of the cover removed, illustrating the arrangement 0f type conventionally used for fuse purposes, and the plug interior; formed to have a central, or hub portion 33, from Fig. 4 is a plan View, partly breken away, 0f which extend radiating wing portions, each comthe inner fece 0f the fuse COVer;r 50 prising a narrow, easily fusible neck portion 34 Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View, partly and an enlarged end contact portion 35. in section, of the resilient contacting means be- An inner layer or sheet 3E, of insulating matetween the fuse member and the connecting prong rial, preferably of the low cost variety, such as of the plug; and cardboard, 4or the like, is arranged over and pref- Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5, illus- 55 erably secured to the fusible layer and over the trating another form of resilient brush for conedge of the fiange 32 of the shell 30. tacting the fuse member. Registering apertures are provided through the Referring more specically to the accompanycenter of each of the three layers of the cover 29, ing drawing, the number l0 designates an open to form a continuous aperture 3l, through which ended cup-like housing, which may be made of co a screw 38, having, preferably, a knurled, insuto t snugly within the aperture -31 so vasino-makeV electrical contact with the inner edge of theiuse layer 33, to thereby complete the circuit between the fuse and the binding post l. r

To insure contact between the fuse layer and the enlarged portion 42 of the screw 38, a portion .of the fuse material about the opening 31 may be folded over inwardly, over the edgeoi-th` aperture, through the inner insulating layer 36, to thereby providev a substantial area to contact betvveenthe rfuse'layer andthe screw`3v8.

Acpluralityof apertures i4-'are formed in Vthe inner-insulating layer 36, corresponding -in number vto :the Wingends 3,5, and arranged'toexpose said -wing ends 35to the interior of the housing. 'Ifo completefthe circuitbetween the ruse layer to the -second ofthe-prongs 1,4brush means may be provided, connected tothe-saidjsecond prong. Suchbrush meansmay be,-preferab ly, or aV `re-l silient nature andrnaycomprise a brush member 45 mounted fixedly on one end of a spring'element k46 1,-whi :hf1nay -be'secured in the conventional manner to thev said'prong i4; asby means of'a contact screw 4 1, set-into the corresponding screw seat provided inthe end iacefof the said p1-:0ng..a, 2 .A l

I r; desired, the brush may be of `integral construction, in the form of a resilient conductor 48, as-Ai-llustrated in Fig.- 5 of the drawing, so that the necessity for a separate spring is eliminated,

Ehe-british rortionof; either k brush 4.5, `0r 4,8A is sodisposed as to register, at all times, with one of theapertures 44,A and may be preferably rdisposed atan angle to the cover 2 9, substantially parallel tothe side or the housing, so as to permit rotation of `the cover and .tol-prevent*its'ro-tation in an opposite `direction. Ther-clay, contact assured zbetween the brush and-successive, unused fuse wings,'as the cover isturned.n l

-This completes a descriptiony of one embodiment of the combined plug Vand fuse of the VVVpresri en t invention. 1t is tolbeunderstood that such ernbodimentis shown -and described foripurposes of fillustrationonly, and ythat it is vnot intended toY limit this-inventionto the details-thereof as, obviously; many variations and -modicatios thereof may be made within thespirit 'and scope ofthe invention and the claims hereto appended.

1. In a connecting plug of the character described, a cup shaped housing having a threaded" recess therewithin,` afbinc'iingl post'fhaving a threaded recess in l Y its-end arran gedwithn the threaded recess in the` housing, and 'a'cover arranged over the open end of the saidhousing, said` cover having a layer `of-fusible material having exposedportions, a' vscrew passing' 'freely through the said cover contactingy the said layerloffusible material andengag-ing within the threadedyrecess' in ltheV sad binding post to permit free' rotation oi the. cover over the'said housing.

`2.*V Ina connecting'plug ofthe character described, a'cupsha'ped housing, said housing have.'

onlyv in` one direction, f thedirection ofthe upward incline ofthe brush,

i' to one of the said prongs, the other of the said wires electrically connected to the said binding p'st, afboverhaving multiple fuse elements arranged o'n'the-s'aid housing, each of said fuse elements being in Contact with the said binding post,

nda brush'ion .the'other of said prongs in contat t withl'one of said fuse elements.

'3. In aconnecting plug of the character describedmahousing, a pair of prongs passing through the wall of said .housing, a pair of binding'posts'dnth'e said housingpone'of the s'aid binding posts'in' velectrical contact'with one'off said prongsya cover .rotatably mounted over the. said housing, said cover having a layer of ruse;

material'including a plurality of radially formed Wings, a screw passing through the said cover electrical'contact with the said'iuse material and engaged'on thesaid binding post, a'brush connected'to the other of the said prongs 'and ar,-

ranged to engage a radiating wing of the said fuse rmaterial'.-

4. In a connecting plug ofk the characterfdef scribed, a housing, a pair of prongs passing through the Wall of vthe said housing, said housing having anopen end, a binding post arranged withinthe said housing, said binding post having ath-readed recess in 'its end, a cover arranged over the opening of the saidhousing, said cover com# prising an exterior layer of insulating material, anintermediate-layer of, fusible material, said` 'intermediate layer formed-to have a central portionfrandva'n plurality of radiating wing portions, and an-"inner layer of, insulating material, said inner layerhaving a plurality of circularly ar-l ranged apertures, each adapted to expose one of thawing :portions of the lsaid intermediate fusible layer, La screw passing through said cover, in

electrical contactwiththe central portion of said,-y intermediate fusiblev layer andset in the threaded recess off'said bindingpost, a brush member resiliently connected to one of` said prongs, in register-rwith the said circular row ofapertures, to contact 'the inner fusible'layer oithe cover, whereby the vsaid ,cover may be turned tofcontact the several wings of the 'fusible layer, one'at a time.

L5; The'structure of` claim 4, in which the brush member is arranged, at Vanangle tothe cover,1in a direction tangential to the rular row of apertures,-whereby said: cover may be turned in one direction only, to, vpermit contact by the' said brush-member with successively varrangedjwings of thelayer orfusible material. vl SAMUEL. J, monaca.

EEBIENQES, CITED The followingreferences arel o f record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED sfrnfrnsnPATENTSy 

